The Larchmont NOOD
Submitted by Adam Loory of UK Sailmakers
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| From left to right: Richard
du Moulin (Express 37 Lora Ann) Bob Behringer (Express 37 Draco)
Adam and Jenni Loory (Express 37 Soulmates) |
Here are some pictures of the Schumacher Trophy
and of me after being dunked for winnning the Express 37 class at
the Larchmont NOOD regatta.
Richard du Moulin came up with the idea for
the trophy dedicated to Carl and all the owners in the area chipped
in. This year it was presented to the top finishing Express 37 at
the Larchmont NOOD, which we called the East Coast Championship. Six
Express 37s participated.
The Larchmont NOOD was primarily light air,
with the wind never blowing stronger than nine knots all weekend.
Soulmates proved very fast upwind in these conditions. Our whole crew
concentrated really well in the light air and frequent chop. In the
first race we had a big lead going down the final run of the four-leg
windward/leeward course, but a big light spot just before the finish
let the whole fleet play catch up. Luckily we got out of the hole
first and then marched away from the fleet for the win. The next four
boats finished overlapped.
In the second race, the newest member of the
fleet, Zeke Wolfskehl sailing Songlines, was first around the first
windward mark -- a great feat in this fleet. Once again five boats
went around the windward mark bow to stern. I told the reporter from
Sailing World our fleet gives you Farr 40 racing, at a tenth of the
price. After winning that one leg, Zeke said that he was hooked and
would be doing a lot more racing.
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| Adam gets the biggest drink
of the day! |
Saturday night the fleet had it's own BYO barbecue
where we all got together to hang out. This fleet is made of tough
competitors who really like each other. We race hard and socialize
together.
On Sunday, the wind started out in the South before a sea breeze could
form. We knew this was trouble. Richard du Moulin and crew got off
with a great start and lead the whole race. The final beat turned
into a reach as the wind persistently shifted 50 degrees or more.
On that leg your couldn't pinch if you tried while on port tack; every
time you headed up the wind shifted more to the left. Mercifully the
race committee shorted the course after three legs.
Six of the seven boats sailing in our division
carried UK Sailmakers inventories, and that boat finished fourth.
Both SOULMATES and LORA ANN sailed with UK ULTRA No. 1s. These sails
are very light and took their shape even in Long Island Sound's faintest
zephyrs. Yet both boats have used the same sails in the top of heavy
No. 1 conditions and the sails have plenty of strength. UK ULTRA represents
the next step in the evolution of Tape-Drive. Instead of applying
the load path structural members to a pre-made sail skin, we fabricate
the sail skin and load path structure as one integral product. The
load path yarns are in between the two Mylar films.
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| The Express 37. Designed by the late
Carl Schumacher |
At the awards ceremony the Express 37 fleet
continued to be the loudest group. We all cheered when the class was
announced and we all cheered equally as loud for each trophy winner.
For the last four years our rowdy bunch throws the winning skipper
in the water as part of the trophy presentation. A different boat
has won this "honor" in each of the four years the NOOD
has been run at Larchmont. This year it was my turn as the picture
shows.
1. Soulmates 1,1,2 4 pts
2. Lora Ann 5,2,1 8 pts
3. Walrus 2,4,3 9 pts
4. Troubador 4,3,4 11 pts
5. Draco 3,5,5 13 pts
6. Gunsmoke (J/35) 7,6,6 19 pts
7. Songlines 6,7,7 20 pts
--Editors note: For those that are not aware,
Carl Schumacher passed away earlier this year. He is sorely missed.
